Spiced Wine & Pear Hand Pies
A brisk wind curls in on itself, picking up the fallen gold and red leaves of a nearby maple. Frosty grey clouds hover overhead, sinking slowly towards the barren ground in a fine mist that seems to hang frozen in time. Dark coats and yards of layered fabrics hide shivering hands and chattering teeth as they hurry about, running from shelter to shelter. A distant train and its powerful horn call out through the wind-tossed trees and long, empty allies. The warning from the train as it approaches a faraway crossing warms ears bombarded by the shrill whistle of freezing wind howling around unmovable objects. One or two of us stop to listen to the faint mechanical song, forgetting for just a moment the harsh attack nature batters us with. We go back to our hurrying, quick to find a reprieve from the dry red noses and ears, aching joints, and damp clinging clothes.
Inside, blackened fireplaces roar to life with the warmth of an oak-fueled fire and the yellows, oranges, and reds that flicker about leaving a colorful glow on cold walls and colder faces. Stiff, frost-drenched hands hug hot mugs tightly. Fluffy-sock-covered feet sit precariously close to a barrage of popping embers. Slow sips on almost-boiling cocoa warm once blue lips.
A door opens and the sting of frigid air pokes unsuspecting faces. Hugs spread like wildfire, lingering longer than summer hugs, as friends are welcomed to the fire. Stories are whispered slowly over old worn books. Newcomers are handed hot mugs filled with sweet, chocolate warmth. Thank you’s quietly poke through the silence. Eyes loiter, watching the subtle changes in favorite, long-studied faces hiding behind steaming mugs and slowly removed mittens and hats. Another sip builds a small whipped cream mustache on unsuspecting lips.
A laugh calls attention to the confectionary whiskers. Smiles peak around woolen scarfs and a hastily wiped away whipped cream mustache.
Hand Pies: Hand pies are similar to galettes or tarts in that they must be able to support themselves without the aid of a dish. While galettes and tarts use specialized doughs, hand pies are small enough that you can get away with using a standard pie dough. Take care not to overfill each hand pie otherwise they could break apart easily.
Spiced Wine & Pear Hand Pies n
y 8 hand pies
d Easyt 1 hour
o Tools:
Heavy-bottomed pot
Rolling pin
Paring knife
Citrus zester
Brush
Lined baking sheeti Ingredients:
2 Pecan Pie Crusts (recipe below)
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup bourbon
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
2 ounces honey
4 ounces sugar1 ounce sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon2-4 ripe pears
Egg wash
n Instructions:
1. Preheat an oven to 375°F. Roll out the pie crusts to make a 9″ circle and set aside in the fridge.
2. Put the wine, apple cider, bourbon, orange, lemon, cinnamon sticks, cloves, honey and 4 ounces sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the orange, lemon, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring the mixture to a slow boil and let the mixture reduce to a third of its original volume, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool.
5. In the meantime mix the 1 ounce sugar, salt, orange zest and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside
6. Cut each disk into quarters. Brush the outside 1/4″ of each quarter with the egg wash.
7. Lay a few pear slices on half of the dough quarter, leaving the 1/4″ space brushed with egg wash clear. Brush a little of the spiced wine over the pears. Sprinkle on some of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the pear slices.
8. Fold over the half of the dough that does not have any pear slices on it. Carefully press the edges together to seal the hand pies. Using a toothpick crimp the edges to help keep them sealed. Cut a few slots in the top of the hand pie to allow the steam to escape.
9. Repeat with the remaining dough quarters. Just before baking brush the top of each hand pie with the egg wash.
10. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
11. Remove and let cool.
r Hand pies are best served the same day though they will store in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple days.
n Avoid adjusting the ingredients in this recipe.
Pie Dough: This is my standard flaky pie dough recipe but with a third of the flour replaced with ground pecans. The ground pecans gives the dough a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and adds a little crunch.
Pecan Pie Crust nst
y 2 pie crusts, enough for 8 hand pies
d Easyt 2 hours
Prep: 10 minutes
Chilling: 1-2 hourso Tools:
Food processor
Parchment paperi Ingredients:
9 ounces bread flour
4 ounces ground pecans
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, cold and roughly chopped
3 ounces lard, cold and roughly chopped
1/4 cup ice watern Instructions:
1. Place the flour, ground pecans and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix thoroughly.
2. Add the cold, chopped butter and lard to the food processor. Pulse a few times until the butter is about the size of small peas or grape nuts and the mixture resembles cornmeal.
3. Add the water. Pulse until the mixture comes together and a dough is just formed. Be careful not to over mix the dough.
4. Pour the dough out onto parchment paper. Knead together lightly if needed. Form the dough into a disk and wrap completely in parchment paper.
5. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour to give the dough time to rest and to make it easier to work with and roll out.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator just before rolling out.
r Store in a refrigerator up to a day, or in the freezer up to a month.
n Avoid adjusting the recipe.
s This recipe calls for a food processor though the dough can be made by hand as well.
t Pay attention to the temperature while assembling this recipe. It is best to keep the butter and dough as cold as possible while working with it.
Enjoy!
These look great! I bet they made your house smell amazing!
Those look delicious. My wife just made a bunch of apple hand pies and mixed berry hand pies. Like the idea of the spiced wine with the pears. Keep up the good work.
Looks very delicious!! I’m craving for some!
Beautiful photos! The combination of all these ingredients sounds so warming and cozy for winter. Pie is one of the most perfect fall treats.
These are a gem. I love hand pies-pocket pies. I could imagine myself grabbing them on the go. Oh just from the sound is giving me goosebumps. You are truly inspiring to me my friend. Hope all is well and will chat soon? xoxo, Jo
I wouldn’t have even gotten that marinating fruit into the pies to bake them…would have been gobbled as is, drenched in bourbon-spiced-wine broth. Delish!
yes please! Too pretty for words
These are just.. so pretty. Loving your little nook of the web, Russell :)
Oh yum!! Hand pies aside, I was planning on experimenting with a pecan crust this tonight anyways – so I’m glad you posted this for my reference!
and by “this tonight” I mean .. tonight.
I seriously look forward to your posts not just for your super yummy recipes and amazing photos but your storytelling is unlike no other food blog I have ever read. You are very talented, I hope this brings you much success in life, and I thank you for posting because I love to read what you write.
Before I started blogging I’d never heard of hand pies – a pie was just something you sliced from one big dish. I’m not sure if it’s an American term or if I just hadn’t come across it before but I love the name now – it sounds personal and comforting and as delicious as these hand pies look! :-)
Are you really supposed to make galettes with special dough? I usually use pie crust. Oops. Bad food blogger! These are such beautiful little hand pies. They’d be great as a non-traditional Thanksgiving dessert!
Wow, spiced wine and pear…that is sophisticated hand pie!
These look so delicious, especially the pecan pie dough!
I’m now jonesing for some hot coca with cinnamon and whipped cream. These look incredible. Such a great idea with the peCAN pie crust, also ;) Can’t wait to try it!
I love the autumnal picture you’ve painted both through your lovely descriptions and from these delightful hand pies!!
Pear pies sound just about perfect for fall! YAY.
I love the concept of hand pies! Your blog is looking extra tasty for Fall and the holiday season. All these posts have me drooling
These look incredible and I love all the spices in your poaching liquid! I’ve never had a homemade hand pie – can you save me some?
Beautiful little hand pies, I love the filling flavors!
Now I want a big mug of cocoa and one of these to go with it.
There’s something so inviting about a handpie… these are just perfect. :)
I think I could fit three or four in each hand, that is how you would divide them out. Whoever could hold the most in each hand get them, right. Because I would want them all!
Absolutely gorgeous photos! Have me wanting to bake them right now :-)
My gf remarked that hand pies would be replacing cupcakes. Though I’m not sure either way, I do know that these are some fierce competition! Since they’re hand held, I’m sure this also means I can eat two at a time! =)
This looks lovely, I love the rustic look of the pies. I look forward to giving this recipe a try.
This is perhaps the most stunning and elegant food photography I’ve seen all month. So seasonal, unpretentious, and yet full of character. Wonderful cooking!
This looks sos os delicious… Something that can comfort your soul!!!
I am loving the pics and the beautiful tone!!!
OMG…Such a beautiful blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^
Truly delicious! I’ve never heard of hand pies before. I love the spices used in the recipe. It really sums up this time of year.
Am I the only one who looked at the pie dough and wondered what peans were? I instantly scrolled down to the ingredients and thought, “of course it’s pecans, you silly.” I was thinking it was some weird ingredient I’d never heard of before. :)
I LOVE hand pies! These are definitely grown up pies and that’s even better.
Delicious! I’ll have to try these. Thanks for sharing,
What gorgeous little hand pies!
This is a mouthwatering recipe.. what a wonderful blog!!
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